Lawrence Grassi School Council

École Intermédiaire Lawrence Grassi Middle School Council Wednesday, May 09, 2012 – 7:00 P.M. Meeting Room LGMS MINUTES

Attending: Alison Andrews, Brian Wityshyn, Betty Mah, Don Peterson, Alison Carter, Alanna McLeod, Shari Worobey, Leanne McKeowen, Liz Baker, Sonya Howatt (teacher), Lee Luders (teacher)

Learning: Lee Luders and Sonya Howatt (teachers): one-to-one learning: Grade 8’s will require a laptop/ form of technology for 2012/2013.

How best can we move forward? What questions and concerns will parents have? What does the research say? LGMS wanted to be “inline” with Alberta Education as 21st century learners. The main defining/ key components of this type of learner includes: engaging kids, being ethical citizens, and holding an entrepreneurial spirit. This fits into “the whole child education” model. As a division, what can we do to prepare our children for the world? Our world is changing rapidly and when they leave LGMS we’d like them to be ready for high school and the world.

As one-to-one, it allows students and teachers to do much more with education and to extend their learning outside the classroom walls and to succeed in our global community. Kids will have the research skills, and be aware of the mark they are leaving on the internet. 21st century fluency is about “head ware skills” not “hard ware skills”.

Learning opportunities? These include: improving ability to formatively assess learning (i.e. Moodle), to individualize instruction (GoogleDocs, posting videos), increase capacity for self-guided pacing (if students are away they can still access learning), improve ability to access and to critically evaluate online resources (look up dihydrogen monoxide), increase capacity for student interaction and collaboration (Google Docs/ Apps, Voicethread), increase capacity for networked communication and materials management (file storage and ability to connect with others).

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy: This is a hierarchy which increases in level from: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. We are trying to reach higher orders of thinking i.e. creating and evaluating with one to one learning.

Hardware Recommendations: -10” Windows Netbook: cost $250-$350, light weight, reasonable battery life (2-3 hours) multi- tasking capability, support Flash and multiple browsers, can access internet. Printing may be an issue. Bow Valley Basics has offered to provide ASUS Netbooks at a competitive price ($300) and can arrange for some financing options. (Many don’t recommend this, however)

Students are welcome to bring full-size laptops including Macbooks. Laptops with screen sizes larger than 15” tend to be quite large and heavy and may not be as portable.

Tablets, including iPads are not fully supported by Alberta Learning for accessing LearnAlberta.ca resources and PAT/ Diploma exams.

Software Recommendations: Parents are encouraged to look on: LearnAlberta.ca and browse “check my system” Free and open source software is available. Examples include AVG Free anti-virus, OpenOffice.org, Google Sketch Up, iTunes, Pencil etc.

If parents want more information, they are encouraged to do the following:  Look online to Springbank Community High School for recommended hardware and software.  Open house on this issue will occur within 2-3 weeks.

1. Call to Order & Welcome to Any New LGMS Council Members and Guests Called to order at 8:30 pm

2. Adoption (Amendment) of Agenda -Liz wanted to thank ---for tables -Pizza Day-Leanne

3. Confirmation/Approval of Past Minutes Approved by email

4. Reports

i) Principal’s Report

Gr. 7 Health Day was a success! This will be continued next year.

Iron Chef: The Outlook covered this event and it was a lot of fun! About nine kids participated. Will be continued next year. Thanks to all volunteers.

Musical/ Assembly: Sir John Franklin school came to LGMS this month and performed a musical.

Gr. 8’s went to visit CCHS for orientation..The kids are very excited and nervous to attend a new school next year.

Badminton is rounding up and was a lot of fun for those who participated.

War of 1812 performance: There will be two shows: 10:00 am and 7:15 pm. Space is limited, first come, first serve.

May 11th: PLC school-wide celebration: Teachers are all going to share our work on Twitter and share with each other and the public.

Next week: PAT’s are beginning: LA English

Fortissimo at CCHS : Bands across the division will play.

Board will be meeting in the future to discuss a budget.

Community members are welcome for writing grants etc. Thanks to Frank Kernick for the picnic tables: Brian did phone him to thank him and will also email him. Chains will be put on them in the near future.

Ping pong tables have been set up and kids are already enjoying them! $500 each= $1500 in total.

June 1st: Relay for Life. Need tin cans (800-1000) to hold the luminary bags

ii)Treasurer’s Report – (see attached)

Last pizza was May 9, 2012. There is talk about doing two pizza days next year. $3500 roughly was the profit for pizzas.

$300 for gym equipment is allocated.(This will be used for ping pong tables)

Piano bench was purchased. Funds also were allocated to the Stream of Dreams. Extra $1250 for picnic tables be taken out of in-reserve funds for the school’s gathering area. We looked into sound-proofing and the stage is actually sound-proofed already.

5. School Security Plan: It was suggested to erect a sign requesting parents and visitors to report to the office. This is for security reasons so that we know who is in the building and so that classes are not disrupted by parents.

6. Community Education Network (Update from tonight’s meeting)

7. Staff Appreciation: This event will be held on May 25, 2012. Kevin from “Ti It Up” has confirmed $500 as a budget to cater this lunch. $40 is approved for chocolates and $25 will be spent on flowers for teachers. We need volunteers for the following: a) Set-up: Perhaps leadership and foods kids can help set up. b) Clean up : we will need some parents c) Table cloths: Don will take care of this. d) Invitation to Staff: Brian will send this out. e) Coffee/ tea/ juice: Someone needs to purchase. Don will ask “Good Earth” for the coffee.

8. Year end bar-b-que: June 28, 2012

9. Lunch time activity: (tabled to next meeting)

10. Succession Planning: (tabled to next meeting)

11. Three Year Plan Alison Carter will look at the 3 –year plan and will edit it. Council is to review the 3-year plan and will send Don ideas or input prior to next meeting. Items to add include: support one-to-one 21st Century Learning. Lunch options wording needs to be changed i.e. hot lunch and pizza days. 12. Iron Chef follow-up: Don has received a case of hats for use in the future. Cost is about $100 for purchasing food. This was a success and will be planned for next year.

13. Update on Learning Component: A celebration of learning: slide show of different activities that have taken place over the year.

14. Other Items: Pizza Days: Karen is willing to stay on and organize these days. Discussion as to whether or not we will have two pizza days per month. Gift card for pizza/ hot lunch coordinator will be given.

Meeting adjourned at 9:18 PM

Date and time of next meeting: Next Meeting: June 13th, 2012 @ 7:00 pm